On Saturday, the Israeli military reported conducting a strike on a vehicle in Gaza City, stating that it had targeted a senior Hamas figure. Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Civil Defence, reported to the BBC that four individuals were killed in the strike and multiple passers-by sustained injuries from the explosion. Local sources suggested the strike's target might have been Raed Saad, identified as a senior commander within Hamas's armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
BBC noted its inability to independently verify details from inside Gaza due to reporting restrictions. Saad is reportedly a member of a five-member leadership military council established after a ceasefire in October. He is recognized as a prominent commander of the Qassam Brigades and is reported to have led several brigades during Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israeli communities east of Gaza City.
Israeli forces have made multiple attempts to target Saad over more than two decades. A notable incident occurred in March 2024 during an Israeli operation in Gaza City, where forces reportedly sought to apprehend or eliminate him. Sources at that time stated that Saad was within the targeted complex but managed to evade capture or death shortly before the raid.